Jim Pascual Agustin's Blog, page 31

It’s this Thursday!

Book Lounge launch 24 July – In the Heat of Shadows

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Antjie Krog, Ari Sitas, Cape Town, Denis Hirson, Finuala Dowling, Gabeba Baderoon, In the Heat of Shadows, Ingrid de Kok, Jeremy Cronin, Jim Pascual Agustin, Karen Press, Kelwyn Sole, Khadija Heeger, Launch of In the Heat of Shadows, Nathan Trantraal, Robert Berold, Ronelda Kamfer, Rustum Kozain, Toni Stuart

Poem from two years ago finally finds a home

Two years ago I saw my family and friends back home in Manila. It had been three years since the massive flood and things looked a lot better, but there were still traces of the devastation. I’ll write about that later, if I get the chance.

It was sore saying goodbye again, particularly to the little ones. Since then I have been revising and rewriting (are those not the same?) this poem and I think now I can let go of it. Aerodrome has accepted and published it today. It will also appear in my forthcoming book, A THOUSAND EYES (UST Publishing House).

CLICK HERE TO READ  “POEM FOR AKI.”

Please leave a comment whether you like the poem or not. :)

Maraming salamat, AERODROME!

Filed under: A Thousand Eyes, Uncategorized Tagged: A Thousand Eyes, Aerodrome, Finuala Dowling, Jim Pascual Agustin, UST Publishing House

Three Now Alive on DEAD SNAKES

Most places that accept poetry often have a note that they only accept unpublished material. A lot of my poems in previous books would love to find new readers in other homes and so it is a joy to find places like DEAD SNAKES.

Three poems from ALIEN TO ANY SKIN just got accepted there. Please visit DEAD SNAKES and leave a comment to show your support.

Enjoy!

 

 

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Alien to Any Skin, Dead Snakes poetry, Jim

Review: A Place of Myth and Wonder

matangmanok:

I should start writing book reviews again. If you have a book of poetry or know of someone who would like his/hers reviewed – I shall try to give a fair reading and feedback at the very least, if not a proper review. Bit tight with time at the moment.

Originally posted on KALATAS: Philippine Literature, Culture, & Ideas:

by Jim Pascual Agustin

“Dalawang Pulgada at Tubig”




by Emmanuel Q. Velasco




(UST Publishing House, 2011)

There are poets who take a lifetime to find a voice of their own. They begin as no more than mimics of others they have read or were taught to admire. Young poets tend to be snagged by rhymes or too much philosophy. Some get caught up in an eternal spiral of personal demons and whimsical indulgences. Often it takes them many years to find a unique way of seeing things, of expressing particular emotions, of capturing that elusive moment, that they can claim as truly theirs alone.

Many will either give up writing altogether or continue to delude themselves that they have indeed perfected their craft. Some will persevere through the years and, perhaps with luck, find a voice that may not stand out but is nonetheless worth hearing.
And then there…

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Filed under: Uncategorized

Launch Notice: In the Heat of Shadows

 

Click this LINK for full details of the launch notice

Filed under: Alien to Any Skin, Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, Sky for Silent Wings Tagged: Antjie Krog, Ari Sitas, Believing is a Sad and Twisted Art, Bongekile Joyce Mbanjwa, Book Lounge, Bulelani Zantsi, David wa Mahlamela, Denis Hirson, Finuala Dowling, Gabeba Baderoon, Gert Vlok Nel, In the Heat of Shadows, Ingrid de Kok, Isabella Motadinyane, Isobel Dixon, Jeremy Cronin, Jim Pascual Agustin, Joan Metelerkamp, Karen Press, Katharine Kilalea, Kelwyn Sole, Keorapetse Kgositsile, Khadija Tracey Heeger, Kobus Moolman, Marlene van Niekerk, Mongane Wally Serote, Mxolisi Nyezwa, Nathan Trantraal, Petra Muller, Robet Berold, Ronelda Kamfer, Rosamund Stanford, Rustum Kozain, Toni Stuart, Vonani Bila

Far and Near

I’ve been meaning to share thoughts on many things – the elections in South Africa, the unsubtle threats of China to take over the water and other resources of other countries, the change of seasons in my part of the world, and some other random matters. But as often happens, the real world crashes down on my intentions.

Now a few bits of news I really have to share.

In the past few weeks I received copies of publications where my poetry appeared. It is always good when a poem finds a home somewhere I myself may never visit. Well, who knows, really? Maybe one day someone will sponsor me to fly all the way to…

LEBANON. Rusted Radishes, published by … (drum roll) … the American University of Beirut. The excellent editors liked my poem “If Palestine were a Treasured Painting.” It is a beautiful publication full of interesting graphics and bold writing.

The poem is part of my unpublished manuscript, Sky for Silent Wings, which is still hoping for a publisher.

The next country my work found a home is… FRANCE via the anthology of contemporary South African poetry edited by Denis Hirson. It’s a handsome book – tall and elegant. Everything about it just makes me wish I could read and write in French! The three poems included are “Chameleon Caress,” (which originally appeared in my book Alien to Any Skin) “People Who Live with Lions” and “That Feather Could be Yours Someday.” I was a late addition to the anthology, and I’m thankful to Robert Berold for introducing my poetry to Denis Hirson.

 

 

Filed under: A Thousand Eyes, Alien to Any Skin, Europe, Life in a different world, Literary News & Articles, Middle East, poetry, Sky for Silent Wings, Uncategorized Tagged: A Thousand Eyes, Beirut, Denis Hirson, Jim Pascual Agustin, Robert Berold, Rusted Radishes, Sky for Silent Wings

China is Looting The Philippines; Probably With The Assistance of Corrupt Philippine Officials

matangmanok:

China joins the likes of Canada and Australia in the rape of the natural resources of other countries.

Originally posted on Peace and Freedom:

Is Zambales province still Philippine territory, or now China’s? Zambaleños ask that, because local officials are giving away their natural resources to East Asia’s neighborhood bully.

By Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) |  October 30, 2013

In Barangay Maloma, San Felipe town, thrives black-sand mining by Chinese. They destroyed the fields and mountains to build a seaport big enough to accommodate their poacher vessels. While berthed the ships siphon the black sand into the hold with huge hoses, then sail away. No taxes or royalties are paid — only bribes to the very officials tasked to keep them out. In China magnetite is separated from the sand, for use in steel and telecoms products. That includes weapons and surveillance systems. China deploys such materiél to invade Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), 123 miles from Zambales’ shore.

Same with the unabated nickel mining in Masinloc and Sta. Cruz towns. Disguised as small-scale, giant Chinese miners…

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Two poems in Poppy Road Review and another good news

Early versions of two poems were accepted and published on Poppy Road Review on 10 May 2014. Around the same time one of the manuscripts I put together was accepted for publication. Both poems will be in the new book hopefully to be released in 2015 by my faithful publisher, University of Santo Tomas Publishing House. I said “early versions” because I have since revised the poems and the final versions will be in A THOUSAND EYES.

Thank you to all my readers.

 

Filed under: A Thousand Eyes, Creatures, environment, Europe, Fragments and Moments, Influences, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, Uncategorized Tagged: A Thousand Eyes, Jim Pascual Agustin, Land of Wolves, Poppy Road Review, The Ghosts of Fukushima, Univesity of Santo Tomas Publishing House

Good news will come later

I have some great news, actually. But I’ll have to write about that later. This bit of troubling video with the proper accompanying article has to be shared first.

Israeli soldier becomes overnight hero for pointing loaded gun at Palestinian youths
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: atrocities, Israel, Israeli apartheid, Palestine, Palestinian struggle

New poem almost popular

The task of writing may seem to end when you lift your pen off the page or stop touching the keyboard/glass surface (or whatever gadget you may use, stick and sand?). But until it’s read – and hopefully received – in a positive or negative way, it hasn’t finished its journey.

A poem I recently wrote, “Falling in Reverse,” was noticed by the judges of an online poetry competition. I hope you consider voting for it after reading up all the finalists’ entries. Thank you.

GOODREADS POETRY FINALISTS FOR MAY NEWSLETTER

 

Filed under: Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, Uncategorized Tagged: Falling in Reverse, Goodreads.com, Jim Pascual Agustin